Starmer’s chronicles

[Kursk]

Originally Posted by Damien

They also stop anything being built because there will always be motivated people seeking to stop infrastructure and development even when it holds back the economy for everyone else.

It's why HS2 has huge bills and is half-cancelled. We kept having to build tunnels to protect a field, or bats, or whatever else. It's why the Lower Thames Crossing has been delayed and delayed for a decade and it also would have held back the Theme Park.

Due process might have prevented the construction of that slippery slope in your back garden.

What will be your next out-of-character bully-boy tactic Damien (The Omens are not good )

I am not sure what your point is there.

I am saying that our planning process is too burdensome and that has stopped infrastructure development for a long time now and adds a lot of costs when it doesn't. It can't continue like that if we want growth. This country isn't a museum, we need to develop further.

[Kursk]

Your use of terms like "we" and "everyone else" is interesting. I for one don't find the planning process burdensome; I think it's democratic.

This "museum" is a charming place to live imho.

You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, as Joni Mitchell sang.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Kursk

Your use of terms like "we" and "everyone else" is interesting. I for one don't find the planning process burdensome; I think it's democratic.

This "museum" is a charming place to live imho.

You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, as Joni Mitchell sang.

It's charming but it has a number of issues including insufficient housing, low productivity, full capacity on the West Coast mainline and a growing concentration of the better-paid jobs being in London and the South East.

I assume by "we" Damien means "us as in the UK" as we voted in a pro-growth government.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by Kursk

Your use of terms like "we" and "everyone else" is interesting. I for one don't find the planning process burdensome; I think it's democratic.

This "museum" is a charming place to live imho.

You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, as Joni Mitchell sang.

It's great if you just want to talk and write reports but not actually do anything.

[Kursk]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

It's charming but it has a number of issues including insufficient housing, low productivity, full capacity on the West Coast mainline and a growing concentration of the better-paid jobs being in London and the South East.

I assume by "we" Damien means "us as in the UK" as we voted in a pro-growth government.

I bet you're a hoot at parties Andrew.

Originally Posted by Pierre

It's great if you just want to talk and write reports but not actually do anything.

Well, yes I suppose; it's like persistent contribution to forums eh?

Originally Posted by Kursk

I bet you're a hoot at parties Andrew.



Well, yes I suppose; it's like persistent contribution to forums eh?

Exactly like that - chuntering on ad infinitum, but not really adding any value to the world at large, or being beneficial/adding value to the wider society…

[Kursk]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Exactly like that - chuntering on ad infinitum, but not really adding any value to the world at large, or being beneficial/adding value to the wider society…

I do not accept that your nearly 43000 posts have been what you describe above

Can we get back to the topic please.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Pierre

There are well paid across the country.

Moving Parliament wouldn’t make any difference.

But you are right with Industrial strategy, we need good paying blue collar jobs, but the drive to net-zero, increase in employers N.I., the level of corporation tax, business rates and employee rights will prevent us from ever restarting an industrial base in this country.

BP have just announced job losses globally, and you can guarantee they’ll axe the most expensive ones right back………

Same goes for any global business with operations in the U.K., anything that can be moved elsewhere were Labour is cheaper…will be.

There are some but the differences between London and the South East and the rest of the country are significant.

The lack of cutting-edge jobs outside London and the Greater South East means just seven places in the rest of the UK have salaries above the national average – Leeds, Warrington, Derby, Swindon, Bristol, Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

Cities Outlook 2025 today (20 January 2025) shows the stark pay divides in the UK. Average annual salaries in the Greater South East are £12,800 higher – and in London nearly £20,000 higher – than in places with the lowest pay such as Burnley, Huddersfield and Middlesbrough.

This means that by August the average worker in London has earned what the average worker in Burnley will take a year to earn.

https://www.centreforcities.org/pres...l-pay-divides/

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

This means that by August the average worker in London has earned what the average worker in Burnley will take a year to earn.

The cost of living in London is rather higher than Burnley.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Paul

The cost of living in London is rather higher than Burnley.

Yes, supply and demand.

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Yes, supply and demand.

For Pay levels, yes indeed.

NIMBYs strike again: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...ves-sadiq-khan

A plan for Rachel Reeves to back a third runway at Heathrow and an expansion of Gatwick and Luton airports has been labelled “desperate”, as the chancellor faces opposition from within Labour.

Just push it though. London is a city of 9 million people and Heathrow is a key connecting airport between the Americans and Eurasia. It's absurd it was two runways. It's the busiest airport in Europe (or was, haven't checked recently) and yet it has two fewer runways than Charles de Gaulle's four.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by papa smurf

What's the timeline for action?

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...postcount=2624